Ten Reasons Matthew Whitaker Should be Out of DOJ

Jan 3, 2019

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Quick Action

Former Acting AG Matt Whitaker has a background overrun with fraud, scams, dark money payments, conflicts of interest, and other potentially illegal activity. Tell your MoC that Matt Whitaker has no business working in the Department of Justice and to demand answers about his background before considering him for any other position at DOJ.

THE ISSUE

Immediately following the midterm election, Trump demanded the resignation of Attorney General Jeff Sessions, replacing him with Sessions’ chief of staff, Matthew Whitaker. The Mueller investigation is now under immediate threat. As Mueller’s direct superior, Whitaker could refuse to authorize subpoenas or expand lines of investigation. He could bury Mueller’s report and block its delivery to Congress. He could leak information about Mueller’s plans to Trump. He could even fire Mueller. Hand-picked by Trump to serve as an informant within the DOJ, Whitaker has a long record of overt political bias as well as a troubling resume filled with fraud, scams, dark money, and enough potentially illegal activity to spark numerous investigations, lawsuits, and demands for his recusal. His very appointment may not even be constitutional. Whitaker is wholly unqualified to serve at the nation’s Attorney General, and should be immediately removed from his position as Acting AG. Here are ten reasons why:

TEN REASONS TO REMOVE MATT WHITAKER

Whitaker is under investigation for violating the Hatch Act.The Office of Special Counsel is now investigating whether Whitaker broke the law by accepting thousands of dollars in campaign contributions years after his campaign had ended and while he was serving as Session’s chief of staff. He also may have lied on his federal disclosure forms.

Whitaker’s appointment may be unconstitutional. The Constitution’s Appointments Clause requires all “principal officers” of the government to be Senate-confirmed. Whitaker was not confirmed by the Senate. According to the order of succession, Senate-confirmed Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein should have taken on the role of Acting AG.

Whitaker is openly biased and cannot be a neutral arbiter. As a conservative pundit, he described his own conclusions about Mueller’s active investigation, and also how he would curtail it.

Whitaker has numerous conflicts of interest, including ties to Sam Clovis, a a Trump campaign adviser who is now a witness in the Mueller investigation.

Whitaker is a partisan and Trump loyalist. Chosen by Trump to keep an eye on Jeff Sessions, Whitaker was considered by some in the DOJ to be a White House spy. He provided advice to the president on how he might be able to pressure the Justice Department to investigate the president’s political adversaries, including Hillary Clinton.

Whitaker won’t recuse himself. Despite his biased remarks and conflicts of interest, he reportedly has no plans to recuse himself.

Whitaker promotes religious bias in the judiciary. Whitaker said judges should have a Christian worldview, and that a judge with a “secular worldview” would be problematic.

Whitaker is known for abusing power. As a US Attorney, Whitaker sought to “make an example” out of nonviolent drug offenders, by threatening them with life imprisonment and consistently seeking the harshest possible sentences, actions considered by presiding judges to be abusive and disproportionate.

THE ACTION

Call your MoC and tell them all the reasons why Whitaker should be disqualified from serving as Attorney General, and that you want them to demand his removal. Tell them that you want them to include action to protect Mueller’s investigation in the upcoming budget.

Maine House:1-800-423-2900

Maine Senate:1-800-423-6900

Suit Up Maine is a statewide, all-volunteer, progressive, grassroots group of more than 5,400 Mainers that seeks to create and foster a more informed and engaged electorate. We raise awareness of and advocate for policies and legislation that promote equity and equality in civil rights, social justice, health care, the environment, education, the economy, and other areas that affect the lives of all people. We are beholden to issues and action, not parties or politicians, and we aren’t engaged in fundraising. Suit Up Maine fosters collaboration among our state’s progressive groups and organizations to collectively connect, educate, and motivate Mainers to rise in non-violent resistance to a regressive agenda.